Best state to live in?
03-03-2008 | 08:43 PM
#71
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 1,324
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From:
RE: Best state to live in?
ORIGINAL: quiksilver
In terms of everything except hunting,Pennsylvania has gotta be at the top. No matter where you live, you can practically walk to the nearest Cabelas/Gander Mountain/Bowhunting Shop. Everybody hunts (or at least talks about it), so you can always strike up a good deerhunting conversation, even with a perfect stranger. They'reusually totallyclueless as to how actual successful deer hunting is conducted, but sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad. We've all been there...
Speaking of taking the good with the bad...the hunting here isn't so bad, if you can get past the 90 guysstanding at the trucks at the gamelands gates, drinking coffee and telling whale's tales about the big one that got away. Most of them will never actually attempt to enter the woods, so they really don’t get in the way all that much. It's all in what you like and what you make of it.
If you're into hunting for the social scene (don't laugh, lots of people are, they just don't know it)- Pennsylvania is definitely THE place to be. It's the epicenter of deer hunting. We've got about 12 zillion bow leagues, a bow shop on every corner and you're just not viewed as being "normal" unless you have the obligatory "Size Matters" sticker on your back window.In addition, Pennsylvania boasts545 McDonald's restaurants, so once you become too fat and unathletic to do anything else, you just pick up a hunting license and declare yourself to be an avid deer hunter. Join a bow league and proclaim it as your "hobby." Spendgaudy sumsof money on completely useless target accessories as needed. Be the envy of your peers with your shiny chrome bow and flaming paintjob.
Despite the daunting number of "hunters," hardly anyone actually gets anything,... That’s not an indictment of our deer herd, or a statement against the quality of deer hunting here- moreso it’s a sad commentary on the lack of the average weekend warrior’s lack of skill or overall effort. So if you have half a clue, you'll have the chance to fill your tags - even against the long odds.
Pennsylvania is sorta like Barnum & Bailey meets Buckmasters. A hunting carnival, if you will. We have something for everybody.
In terms of everything except hunting,Pennsylvania has gotta be at the top. No matter where you live, you can practically walk to the nearest Cabelas/Gander Mountain/Bowhunting Shop. Everybody hunts (or at least talks about it), so you can always strike up a good deerhunting conversation, even with a perfect stranger. They'reusually totallyclueless as to how actual successful deer hunting is conducted, but sometimes you gotta take the good with the bad. We've all been there...
Speaking of taking the good with the bad...the hunting here isn't so bad, if you can get past the 90 guysstanding at the trucks at the gamelands gates, drinking coffee and telling whale's tales about the big one that got away. Most of them will never actually attempt to enter the woods, so they really don’t get in the way all that much. It's all in what you like and what you make of it.
If you're into hunting for the social scene (don't laugh, lots of people are, they just don't know it)- Pennsylvania is definitely THE place to be. It's the epicenter of deer hunting. We've got about 12 zillion bow leagues, a bow shop on every corner and you're just not viewed as being "normal" unless you have the obligatory "Size Matters" sticker on your back window.In addition, Pennsylvania boasts545 McDonald's restaurants, so once you become too fat and unathletic to do anything else, you just pick up a hunting license and declare yourself to be an avid deer hunter. Join a bow league and proclaim it as your "hobby." Spendgaudy sumsof money on completely useless target accessories as needed. Be the envy of your peers with your shiny chrome bow and flaming paintjob.
Despite the daunting number of "hunters," hardly anyone actually gets anything,... That’s not an indictment of our deer herd, or a statement against the quality of deer hunting here- moreso it’s a sad commentary on the lack of the average weekend warrior’s lack of skill or overall effort. So if you have half a clue, you'll have the chance to fill your tags - even against the long odds.
Pennsylvania is sorta like Barnum & Bailey meets Buckmasters. A hunting carnival, if you will. We have something for everybody.
From my perspective, I would like as many different big game species to hunt as possible, which would probably mean Montana, Wyoming, Idaho or Colorado would be my first choices….
03-04-2008 | 06:39 AM
#75
Giant Nontypical
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 5,973
Likes: 0
From: One mile east of West Podunk Tx
RE: Best state to live in?
I love Texas but if you are not well off hunting opportunities suck. Leasing fees or the price to purchase land are exhorbitant and there is very little public land to hunt. A handshake, permission deal is almost unheard of. If you are a blue collar guy like me you won't hunt prime land without an invitation or a large check.
03-04-2008 | 06:58 AM
#77
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,277
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From: north florida
RE: Best state to live in?
I would tell you north florida, but i dont want anymore competition from other hunters here, or people moving into the area. I can hunt some of the highest populated deer herds in the south (mostly just my county) and i can be saltwater OR freshwater fishing in 10-15 minutes from my house. The offshore and inshore fishing is spectacularwithout all of the developements along the coastof south Florida. I consisitently kill alot of bucks and 90% of the forestry land around me is leased hunting clubs or hunting land. Our deer season lasts from late Sept. to late Jan. and you could experience running deer dogs( thats my favorite!)
I love the South personally and would never move out of it. Maybe to north or south Carolina where they allow running of deer dogs and have saltwater fishing- I will never leave either one, so i am very limited where i would go.
The only downfall to Florida is our bucks are not nearly as big as everywhere else......
I love the South personally and would never move out of it. Maybe to north or south Carolina where they allow running of deer dogs and have saltwater fishing- I will never leave either one, so i am very limited where i would go.
The only downfall to Florida is our bucks are not nearly as big as everywhere else......
03-04-2008 | 10:25 AM
#78
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 1,269
Likes: 0
From: Blanchester Ohio USA
RE: Best state to live in?
Well of the places I have been AK would be my top choice. The downsides are no whitetail and turkeys to chase. Fortunatly there is plenty of other stuff to chase. And world class fishing too.
I'd love to go to Montana and Colorado as well.
But my whole family is here in Ohio so that trumps it all plus Ohio aint all that bad.
I'd love to go to Montana and Colorado as well.
But my whole family is here in Ohio so that trumps it all plus Ohio aint all that bad.
03-04-2008 | 11:05 AM
#79
Nontypical Buck
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 4,139
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From: Rural Kansas... Where Life is Good
RE: Best state to live in?
The same question has went through my head a million times in the past 5 years. I kept asking myself where did I want to end up? What were the important factors to me? What items should I take into account? Just a million things to look at.
There is no doubt, there more desirable places to live than the midwest. Places that I would love to live at for 1 or 2 years & experience the beauty & different opportunites it has to offer. But then I take into account, the other items I may have to deal with, whether it would be a higher cost of living, more urbanized rural living (if that makes sense), less job opportunity, distance from family, type of schools, etc... the list goes on and on.
Plus everybody looks at naturalbeauty differently. One person may drive through the rural flat grasslandsor Flint Hills area of Kansas, and think of it as boring and can't seem to get over that fact, while on the other hand, I look at it everyday and think of how beautiful it is, for what it is & what it offers.
Ever since I was a young farmboy, I've always knew what I wanted to have, when I grew up... A nice country farmhouse, with some barns around it, a little bit of land, be close to good fishing & hunting, and be in a desirable area to raise a family. That's what I have now, and couldn't be happier to live where I do, here in Kansas.
There is no doubt, there more desirable places to live than the midwest. Places that I would love to live at for 1 or 2 years & experience the beauty & different opportunites it has to offer. But then I take into account, the other items I may have to deal with, whether it would be a higher cost of living, more urbanized rural living (if that makes sense), less job opportunity, distance from family, type of schools, etc... the list goes on and on.
Plus everybody looks at naturalbeauty differently. One person may drive through the rural flat grasslandsor Flint Hills area of Kansas, and think of it as boring and can't seem to get over that fact, while on the other hand, I look at it everyday and think of how beautiful it is, for what it is & what it offers.
Ever since I was a young farmboy, I've always knew what I wanted to have, when I grew up... A nice country farmhouse, with some barns around it, a little bit of land, be close to good fishing & hunting, and be in a desirable area to raise a family. That's what I have now, and couldn't be happier to live where I do, here in Kansas.
